1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to aluminum-based alloys having a desired combination of properties of high hardness, high strength, high wear-resistance and high heat-resistance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As conventional aluminum-based alloys, there have been known various types of aluminum-based alloys, such as Al-Cu, Al-Si, Al-Mg, Al-Cu-Si, Al-Cu-Mg, Al-Zn-Mg alloys, etc. These aluminum-based alloys have been extensively used in a wide variety of applications, such as structural materials for aircraft, cars, ships or the like; outer building materials, sashes, roofs, etc; structural materials for marine apparatuses and nuclear reactors, etc., according to their properties.
The conventional aluminum-based alloys generally have a low hardness and a low heat resistance. Recently, attempts have been made to impart a refined structure to aluminum-based alloys by rapidly solidifying the alloys and thereby improve the mechanical properties, such as strength, and chemical properties, such as corrosion resistance. However, the rapidly solidified aluminum-based alloys known up to now are still unsatisfactory in strength, heat resistance, etc.